COMMISSION OPINION

of 1 August 2007

concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the modification of the liquid radioactive waste system at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania

(Only the Lithuanian text is authentic)

(2007/C 180/02)

On 3 February 2006, the European Commission received from the Government of Lithuania, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the modification of the liquid radioactive waste system at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.

On the basis of these data and the additional information requested by the Commission on 23 March 2006, on 15 May 2006, on 17 October 2006, and on 22 February 2007, and provided by the Lithuanian authorities on 7 September 2006 and on 13 April 2007, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1.

The distance between the plant and the nearest point of another Member State, in this case Latvia, is approximately 9 km.

2.

During normal operation, the planned modification will not cause an exposure liable to affect the health of the population in other Member States.

3.

The planned modifications have no consequences in relation to the solid radioactive waste arising from the operation of the existing plant.

4.

In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the planned modification will not give rise to doses in other Member States, liable to affect the health of the population.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste relating to the modification of the liquid radioactive waste system at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in the radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

However, the Commission notes that a new discharge authorisation was granted on 1 January 2006 in anticipation of the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Taking into consideration that the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant will be subject to a specific submission of General Data, the Commission recommends that in the mean time actual discharges of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant should not exceed the limits set in the previous discharge authorisation.